Dodgers Designate Link, Lindsey For Assignment
The Dodgers have designated reliever Jon Link and first baseman John Lindsey for assignment, the club has confirmed.
Link, a 27-year-old right-hander, made his Major League debut with Los Angeles in 2010, appearing in nine games, after spending time in the Padres and White Sox organizations. For his minor league career, he has a 3.84 ERA, 9.0 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9.
Lindsey, 34, debuted in the bigs with the Dodgers in 2010 after a lengthy minor league career. He appeared in 11 games with the big club after a 16-year minors career in which he posted a respectable .284/.361/.478 line in 6,342 plate appearances. Lindsey was a 13th-round pick of the Rockies in 1995.
Rockies Would Listen On Lopez; No Current Talks
The Rockies would listen to trade offers for Jose Lopez, but no talks are going on at the moment, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (Twitter links). Though the Rockies have been impressed with Jonathan Herrera's spring, they would like to see Lopez hit at Coors Field before striking a deal, according to Renck.
The Rockies acquired Lopez from the Mariners for Chaz Roe in December, so he has yet to play an official game for Colorado. The Rockies are looking for a bounce-back year from Lopez, who hit .239/.270/.339 in 622 plate appearances last year. Lopez can play second and third base and will earn $3MM this year.
Red Sox Acquire McKenry, Send Turpen To Rockies
The Red Sox acquired catcher Mike McKenry from the Rockies for righty reliever Daniel Turpen, the teams announced. The Red Sox will have to make a 40-man roster move for McKenry, tweets Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
McKenry, 26, hit .265/.328/.424 in 384 plate appearances at Triple-A Colorado Springs last year, catching 94 games. He's thrown out 37% of attempted thieves in his minor league career and is said to have good intangibles as a catcher. A year ago Baseball America ranked him 13th among Rockies prospects, saying, "his best role may be as a high-energy backup."
Turpen, 24, spent the spring in Yankees camp as a Rule 5 pick but was returned to the Red Sox. The Sox had acquired him from the Giants in August for reliever Ramon Ramirez. Turpen posted a 4.30 ERA, 7.8 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, and 0.5 HR/9 in 69 Double-A relief innings last year.
Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported the trade, which the Red Sox initially denied.
Red Sox, Rockies Working On Trade?
The Red Sox and Rockies are working on a trade, tweets Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. He says it's "likely something minor in nature." Abraham feels that Rockies catcher Matt Pagnozzi "could be of interest to the Red Sox."
Rockies Acquire Josh Fields
The Rockies acquired third baseman Josh Fields from the Pirates for a player to be named later or cash, tweets the team. Fields had been reassigned to the Pirates' minor league camp three days ago. He'd signed a minor league deal in December. The Pirates have jettisoned several of their minor league signings, with Andy Marte perhaps the next to go.
Fields, 28, missed most of the 2010 season due to hip surgery, though he had 104 interesting plate appearances before being non-tendered. Aside from third base, he's dabbled at first and left field.
Fields was drafted 18th overall by the White Sox in 2004 and was once considered a top prospect. He crushed 23 home runs in 418 plate appearances with the Sox in '07, nine of which came in August of that year.
Quick Hits: Rangers, Angels, Indians, CBA, Slowey
Some links to browse through during your Sunday evening…
- Add the Rangers to the list of clubs that are not interested in recently released Carlos Silva, reports MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan (on Twitter). The Yankees and Cardinals are also out.
- The Angels can opt out of their stadium lease in 2016, but owner Arte Moreno told Mike DiGiovanna of The Los Angeles Times that the team has not begun exploring the possibility of building a new stadium. That process would have to start at least four years before the planned opening date.
- Indians manager Manny Acta told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian that there are likely to be roster moves made on Monday when the 25-man roster is finalized (Twitter link).
- Tom Krasovic spoke to several scouts about teams and players from all around the game.
- In regard to CBA talks, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes that the "general consensus is that a hangup or even the slightest threat of a work stoppage would be shocking."
- Within the same piece, Cafardo says the Twins aren't as willing to deal Kevin Slowey as it may seem. One scout opined that the right-hander is "throwing too well for them to deal him."
- The Rockies continue to receive calls about their middle-infield depth, but the club isn't looking to move either Eric Young Jr. or Alfredo Amezaga, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post.
- Dave Bush earned a spot in the Rangers' bullpen as a long man, tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Bush would have opted out of his contract today if he didn't make the team.
- The Red Sox' bullpen depth has drawn interest from other teams, a source tells Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
MLBTR's Luke Adams & Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
Quick Hits: Santiago, Eric Young, Giants
We're officially less than a week away from the start of the 2011 season! Here are some news items to tide you over as we start the countdown to another great year of baseball…
- Ramon Santiago "is available in the right deal," an anonymous scout tells Steve Kornacki of MLive.com. The long-time Tigers middle infielder started 78 games last season, posting a .662 OPS in 367 plate appearances. Santiago's competition for the utility job, Danny Worth, "has made a great impression on Jim Leyland," Kornacki writes.
- Troy Renck of the Denver Post isn't hearing much "trade buzz" (Twitter link) from scouts about Jose Lopez, contrary to a Ken Rosenthal report from earlier today. Renck reiterated his item from earlier this month about how Eric Young Jr. would draw interest if the Rockies wanted to put him on the trade market.
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy rounds up the week's minor league transactions.
- The Giants "might be the deepest team in baseball," but Dave Cameron of Fangraphs thinks their "big flaw" is Miguel Tejada and Mike Fontenot at short. Cameron suggests San Francisco should try to move one of their excess outfielders for "a real Major League shortstop."
Doug Davis Throws For Eight Teams
The Angels, Mets, Orioles, Rangers and Rockies were among the eight teams that sent scouts to Doug Davis' throwing sessions in Tempe today, reports MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez (Twitter link). Davis threw a 45-pitch bullpen session and said his arm "felt great" afterwards, according to Sanchez. As per recent reports, the three unnamed teams don't include the Astros or Davis' most recent team, the Brewers.
It isn't clear whether Davis expects a Major League or minor league contract, though given his injury history, the latter is much more reasonable. Of the named teams, Texas is the club with most sudden need for starting pitching, given that Tommy Hunter suffered a groin injury this afternoon and Neftali Feliz has been slotted back into the closer's job. The Rangers could sign Davis to a minor league deal to see how he performs in regular work, while putting Dave Bush into their rotation as Hunter's temporary replacement.
Jose Lopez Drawing Trade Interest
5:42pm: The Rockies "have [an] open mind about dealing" Lopez, tweets Troy Renck of the Denver Post, though the club feels "no urgency" to make such a move.
5:19pm: The Rockies have received some trade interest from other teams about infielder Jose Lopez, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com. Lopez is slated to be in the Rockies' second base mix, but if dealt, the job would fall to Ty Wigginton and Jonathan Herrera, Rosenthal notes.
Lopez was dealt to Colorado last December from Seattle, and his name surfaced in trade talks again in February when he was rumored to be part of the package the Rockies had offered the Rangers for Michael Young. Lopez will earn $3.6MM this season, and since Colorado signed Wigginton to a two-year, $8MM deal in December, Wigginton could take priority as the club's top right-handed utility option.
Given Chase Utley's injury woes, the Phillies leap to mind as a team that could be interested in second base help, their recent signing of Luis Castillo notwithstanding. While Lopez is best known as a second baseman, he started 142 games at third for the Mariners last season and fielded his position very well — his UZR/150 was an impressive 7.5. The Marlins may have a hole at third base, though they were "not initiating trade talk about third base options with other clubs" and Lopez's salary is rather high for Florida.
Rosenthal On Rockies, Mariners, Garrett Olson
Spring Training notes from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports…
- The Rockies appear to have the rotation depth to trade starter Aaron Cook, once he's healthy. Of course, they weren't able to move Cook last year. The 32-year-old sinkerballer is dealing with shoulder and finger injuries, and could be back around May 15th. He's owed $9.25MM this year, plus another million bucks if traded and a potential $500K buyout after the season. I think it'll have to be a bad contract swap if another team is to take him in June or July.
- Rosenthal explains that at least five non-roster players "stand reasonable chances" of making the Mariners, meaning they may have to do some major 40-man roster housecleaning. 27-year-old southpaw Garrett Olson is already on waivers. The former first-round pick tossed 37 2/3 relief innings for Seattle last year, and he continued to be plagued by the longball. Olson was better in Triple-A, but it was his fourth stint at the level.